Electrode for apparatus for electrolysis of water



.1. N. SMITH A 1,815,080 ELECTRODE FOR APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER July 21, 1931.

Filed Aug.

21. 1928" 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. N. SMITH ELECTRODE FOR APPARATUS FOR ELECTROLYSIS OF WATER Filed Aug. 21. 1928 July 21, 1931.

' Patent Jun 21,1931

sr rss PATENT. OFFICE,

roman smn, or ronon'ro, ONTARIO, omens, ASBIGNOR, BY MESNE asszcrsn'ms, so wssrnvcnoosn unscrew a mmmmcrcnmo comm, a con- PGRATIQN F PENNSYJ LVAHIA Application filed au ust at,

rated by a sinusoidal diaphragm to divide the cell into two chambers.

The object of this invention is to provide a highl eficient and easilyessembled cell from w ich the electrodes may be readily removed as required, and com rises, broadly, an electrode structure provi 'ng paths for directing or conducting the evolved gases away from the electrolyzing zone and into a non-electrolyzing discharge zone lying between the inner edges of electrode members of like polarity.

Preferably, the electrodes are made up of perforated metal strips which are so formed and spaced as to provide the paths just men tioned and also to provide an increased electrolyzing area at the most active portionthereof. The strips are alined and super posed so that the perforations coincide to form the discharge zone or channel above mentioned.

A. feature, such as a resilient spacing member may be provided as an auxiliary support for the electrode and-to space the diaphragm from. the end thereof and also to keep the diaphra under tension.

Various means may be provided for attaching or securing the electrodes to the cell walls; also other features, which will be apparent from the description of the illustrative embodiment of the same shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a metallic strip comprising one electrode element;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 3-3 oi Fig. 1;

Figs. 4, 5 and 5a are detail plans of several forms of the attaching end of electrode elements;

Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, are detail views of various forms of spacing lugs;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of a cross-section through a cell illustrating DE F03 APPARATUS FOR ELECTBOLYSIS OF WATER 1928. Serial No. 801,142.

particularly the nested arrangement of the metallic strips composing the electrode;

Fig. 11 is an isometric view of part of a cell assembly;

Fig. 12 is a detail view of an auxiliary electrode support and resilient spacing member;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section through a portion of a single cell;

,Fig. 14 is a plan view of Fig. 15 showing an electrode element attached to a. spacing ig. 1414 shows the same separated, with end plate removed;

Fig. 15 is a side view of Fig. 14, illustrating the assembly of the electrode elements and lugs;

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section through a portion of a two-cell unit, and

Figs. 17 and 18 are details thereof.

As shown in Figs. 11 and 13, the electrolytic cell, to which this invention may be advantageously applied, comprises end-plates 1 and 2 of opposite polarity, to which electrode elements 3 and 3' are attached, respectively, and project into the cell in interleaving arrange menu nterposed between adjacent edges of the electrodes is a continuous diaphragm 4: (Fig. 13) which takes a sinusoidal course and separates the cell into two chambers 5, 5. In this case, the electrode members and their separators are assembled on the dove-tail shaped assembling strip 41, being held tightly together by clampin bolts 42, and then cast into end plates 1 an 2.

The diaphragm 4: is omitted from Fig. 11 in order to show the arrangement of the electrode elements and associated parts.

The electrodes are made up of nested or alined, superposed electrode elements 3 and 3, as shown in Fig. 11. A preferred form and construction of these electrode elements is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and comprises a metallic strip 7, perforated at 8 to provide 7 active portions of the metallic strips 7 trolyzing zone 13 to the The curved or bent portions 10 of the asand internal abutments27 and 27'. In this sembled electrode elements provide upwardly instance the electrodes 28, 28', are held in inclined paths or passageways 12 (Fig. 10) place against the abutments by beveled strips for conducting the evolved gas from the elec- 29, 29', which fit into the grooves of the dovedischarge channel 9. tail ends of the lugs and the electrodes are and 2, the O ter held firmly against said abutments by screws are 30, 30', which pass though said strips 29 and corrugated, as shown at 14, the depth of the 29, respectively, and thread into the end corrugations decreasing from the active plates. edges toward the central portion of the elec- The abutting ends of the electrodes and As shown in Figs. 1

trode elements. These corru ations increase luo s ma .be rovided with -corres ondin a Y separate paths to direct or wardly inclined passageways from the active I zone and from the'cell proper (Fig. 10).

the'active or effective area of the electrode keyways 31(Fig. 5) and 32 respectively, into surface, and in addition, forming a series of which may be passed a key 33 (Fig. 18).

Condu h Where the metal strips are to be assembled evolved gases away from the electrolyzing into a socalled double electrode 34 for'use zone. in bipolar cells, a T-shaped lug 35 (Figs. 7, It will be thus observed that he s p r- 16 and 1'7), is used to connect electrode eleposition'of the strips form inwardly and p ments or sets. ofmetal strips to form the double electrode. The T-shaped lugs are zoneto the discharge channel, which facililt n t d nd fo nd throughout the length tate the removal of the gasboth from the said f th a bl d electrode member. The strip sections of the electrodes are mounted The corrugated edges also increase t e m upon a middle plate 36 of the bipolar cell, and chanical strength or rigidity of the electrode may b id d with suitable gaskets 37 elements, the elements being drawn out to hi h revent leakage f electrolyte and gas a thinner cross-section increasing its active f one ll-into th other, area, and I believe that the most important I rd t afiord additional support for or efiective and active portions of the electhe free ends of the electrodes 3, 3 (Figs. 11 members are those adjacent the Outer and 13) not attached to the end plates or walls edges, and that the part of he p ge y there is provided a notched loar 38 engaging 2 wh ch iS InOStfe t e is the w ly into the notches 3 at the ends ofthe strips 7.

Y extending portion formed by those portions I dditi t ti as a support d ,11

adjacent the outer edges of the electrode ing member, the bar 38 serves as a spacer for elements. the strips.

The metallic strips 7 may be attached to Ti d d th ugh the said bar i a helithe lugs 15 in any of a number of ways, as cal spring 4:0 (Figs. 11 and 12) around which lllustrated in-Fig. 14, for example. the diaphragm l- (Fig 13) is looped tightly so The lugs may be of any suitable form, that the spring 40 exerts a constant pressure but are preferably provided with a dove-tall th reon and maintains the diaphragm in a end portion 16, 16', as shown in Figs. .6, 8 central position between the active edges of v and 9, Whi h re Cast n the n plates 1 the electrodes. This pressure is transmitted and 2. at the same time to the bar 38 and to the elec- The electrode strips are individually ret d l t 3, 3, to furth r aid in keeping movable from the electrode assembly, the th l tt r fi ly in lace, lugs 15 md strips 7 being provided with U- It is to be understood that many changes shaped attaching ends, 20 and. 21, respeccould be made in the above construction and t1vely, (F1gs. 8 and 4), which lugs also act many apparently widely different gmbodias spacers for the electrode strips. ments of my invention may be used without 1he strlps 7 are then plaeed n tWO departing from the scope of the appended adlacent l gs 1 that Sald e v r p claims, for which reasonIintendthat all mate (F gsl l lrw), leaving an opening through ter contained in the above description or WhlCl'l a rod 22, threaded at either end, may hown in the accompanying drawings shall e Passed to p the elements alined and be interpreted as illustrative merely of an held securely together by nuts 23. By sllflioperative embodiment of my invention and clently loosening the nuts 23, any strip may t i a li iting ense,

be readily removed. Having described my invention, what I Instead of the electrodes and their spacers l i i being cast into the end plates, as previously 1, In an electrolytic cell, cooperating andescribed the electrodes may be connected t ode and cathode electrodes alternately posiile eldllilates 1n the m nner shown In FIg tioned and supported by attachment at their ends to the respective end-plates of the cell, a 'Flg. 16 shows a two-cell unit or bi-polar diaphragm extending between the electrodes cell, provided with end-plates 24 and 25 havof opposite polarity, each of said electrodes mg pro ectmg external fins or flanges 26 and being made up of nested perforated metal 26 which are used for intercell connection strips. o,

2. In an electrolytic cell, co-ope'rating anode and cathode. electrodes alternately positioned and supported by attachment at their ends to the respective end-plates of the cell, a diaphragm extending between the electrodes of opposite polarity, each of said electrodes being made up of alined, superposed, perforated metal strips to form a discharge channel intermediate the active edges of the electrode.

3. An electrode having a discharge zone intermediate its active edges comprising alined, superposed, perforated metal strips having corrugated active edges, the corrugations of adjacent'strips forming a series of separate paths to direct the evolved gases away from the active edges of the electrode to said discharge zone.

4. An electrode clement comprising a metal strip having a centrally located opening thcrethrough and its active outer edgescorrugated.

'5. An electrode element comprising a per-. forated metal strip having its active edge portions corrugated, said corrugations decreasing in depth from the active edges toward the central portion of the electrode element.

6. An electrode element comprising a per forated metal strip, the portion bounding said perforation being inclined, said strip being formed and adapted to be supported at one end with its opposite end free.

7 An electrode element comprising a perforated metallic strip having the portion of the strip bounding said erforation bent at an angle from the plane 0 said strip and having its outer edge portions corrugated, the corrugations decreasing in depth from the outer edge of the strip toward said perforation.

8. An electrode comprising alined, superposed, spaced apart and "individually removable perforated metallic strips, and spacer lugs adapted to be permanently attached to the end plates of a cell and towhich said strips are individually attached.

9. An electrode comprising alined, superposed and spaced apart metallic strips and spacer lugs, alternately positioned, said spacer lugs being cast into the end plates of a cell and supportin said strips, forming therewith 'a conducting area as a unit.

10. An electrode comprising alined, superposed, spaced apart and individually removable perforated metallic strips of which the active edges are corrugated.

11. An electrode comprising alined, superposed, spaced apart and individually removs able perforated metallic strips of which the active edge portions are provided with corrugations decreasing in depth inwardly, and means for keeping said strips in their alined relation.

12. The combination with an electrolytic cell having interleaved electrodes separated Canada, this 16 day 0 by a sinusoidal diaphragm dividing the cell into two chambers, of a resilient spacing element disposed between the diaphragm and the outer or free ends of the electrode.

13. An element for use in electrolytic cells comprisin an electrode engaging member and a resilient member adapted to produce tension on a diaphragm.

14. An element for use in electrolytic cells comprising a notched electrode engaging member and a helical spring carried by said member.

15. An electrode element comprising a perforated metallic strip, the transverse outline of which is substantially the frustrum of a cone, said strip being formed and adapted to be supported at one end from the end plate of a cell with its opposite end free.

16. A bi-polar electrode comprising two oppositely extending groups of electrode strips secured to an intermediate group of spacer lugs alternately positioned between said electrode strips, said spacer lugsbeing adapted to be mounted on and to extend through a separating plate of a bi-polar cell.

Signed at Toronto Province of Ontario,

i August, A. D. 1928. JAMES NORMAN SMITH. 

